The Way to Love: Meditations for Life [Paperback]

Anthony De Mello (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 12, 2012

The Way to Love contains some of the most beloved stories from Anthony de Mello. Here, more than ever before in his bestselling writing, he grapples with the ultimate question of love. In thirty-one meditations, he implores his readers with his usual pithiness to break through illusion, the great obstacle to love. “Love springs from awareness,” de Mello insists, saying that it is only when we see the other as he or she really is that we begin to love.
 
The second act of love, he says, is seeing ourselves without illusion—without the coercive nature of our needs, desires, memories, prejudices, and projections. If these steps are taken, then love will steal upon a person or into a relationship. But the task is not easy. “The most painful act the human can perform,” de Mello says, “is the act of seeing. It is in that act of seeing that love is born.”

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The Way To Love contains the final flowering of Anthony de Mello's thought, and in it he grapples with the ultimate question of love. In thirty-one meditations, he implores his readers with his usual pithiness to break through illusion, the great obstacle to love. "Love springs from awareness," de Mello insists, saying that it is only when we see others as they are that we can begin to really love. But not only must we seek to see others with clarity, we must examine ourselves without misconception. The task, however, is not easy. "The most painful act," de Mello says, "is the act of seeing. But in that act of seeing that love is born." Anthony De Mello was the director of the Sadhana Institute of Pastoral Counseling in Poona, India, and authored several books. The Way To Love is his last. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Inside Flap

The Way To Love contains the  final flowering of Anthony de Mello's thought, and  in it he grapples with the ultimate question of  love. In thirty-one meditations, he implores his  readers with his usual pithiness to break through  illusion, the great obstacle to love. "Love  springs from awareness," de Mello insists, saying  that it is only when we see others as they are  that we can begin to really love. But not only must  we seek to see others with clarity, we must examine  ourselves without misconception. The task,  however, is not easy. "The most painful act,"  de Mello says, "is the act of seeing. But in  that act of seeing that love is born." Anthony  De Mello was the director of the Sadhana Institute  of Pastoral Counseling in Poona, India, and  authored several books. The Way To Love  is his last. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Image (June 12, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307951901
• ISBN-13: 978-0307951908
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.4 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (90 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,126 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

101 of 109 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A potent little book March 14, 2001

By John S. Ryan

Format:Paperback

Not being a Christian myself, I'm not inclined to get terribly bent out of shape about whether Anthony de Mello (z'tz'l; of blessed memory) takes some of Jesus's remarks out of context. But Christians may well be concerned about that, and the previous reviewer is quite right to warn about it. (So why all those "not helpful" votes? Are there any Christians who _don't_ find such warnings helpful?)

On the other hand, I'm not persuaded that de Mello _is_ taking anything out of context. There is a loooooooooooong tradition in Christianity, is there not, of recognizing that even Jesus's most casual words are charged with hidden spiritual significance and trying to discern their "inner" meaning through meditation?

Be that as it may, the reader should be aware that this is not a book "about" Christianity or Christian theology or biblical hermeneutics or anything else of the sort. De Mello has exactly one purpose in writing, and he isn't messing around: as he remarks in _Awareness_, imitating Christ doesn't make you Christlike any more than playing a saxophone makes a monkey a musician. "You've got," de Mello says, "to _be_ Christ." And the entire purpose of the short meditations in this little volume is precisely to make you "_be_ Christ."

Heresy? Well, as a non-Christian I'm not an authority on whom you should rely here -- but as I recall, the New Testament does say that Christians are supposed to "have the mind of Christ" and "be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

For de Mello, God is a lot more interested in our transformation than in our "worship," and He probably isn't too bothered by the possibility that somebody may quote a couple of gospel sentences out of context in helping us to be thus transformed. De Mello thinks this transformation is a _lot_ more important than saying "Lord, Lord" and having one's theological/exegetical ducks in a row.

And for de Mello, this transformation is achieved through insight -- insight into reality itself and into the nature of the bad "programming" that keeps us from noticing that we don't need anything else in order to be happy.

Disagree? Get in line; I have plenty of disagreements with him myself. And there is probably no reader in the world, Christian or otherwise, who will find nothing to disagree with in de Mello's sometimes infuriating writings. He doesn't care; he likes our disagreement just fine, so long as we are _responding_ rather than just "reacting."

This little book, like all of de Mello's writings, is mighty potent. Whether for good or for evil, you decide.

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Man Changed My Life February 16, 2004

By Swing King

Format:Paperback

As other reviewers have alluded to, this book is deceivingly small. Do not let it's size dupe you for one moment! This composition is said to be Anthony de Mello's last authored words, filled with both profound wisdom and plenty of tidbits for personal contemplations for us booklovers. Anthony de Mello selects pieces from the Gospels in the Bible, weaving together a book all about living a life in love. It is truly extraordinary! Now I for my part do not belong to the Christian traditions, I practice Zen Buddhism in contrast. But these are just names. Religious life is simply life. Why spend our time only experiencing just one kind of religion, when we can take away some of the best from each one of them? Anthony de Mello, in my present day evaluation, represents the "best of" the Christian tradition for me to now benefit from. I imagine you will find the same. Have a pleasure reading this jewel over and over again.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A gem amoung spiritual books February 2, 2004

By Steve Suh

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Most people don't know of him yet he may have achieved enlightenment in this lifetime. I first found out about Anthony de Mello when a friend lent me a video where he was leading a meeting in New Jersey in the early 80s. Watching him in person you cannot help but be impressed by the clarity of his mind and his understanding of the human heart.
He was willing to say things that challenged our core beliefs about what makes one happy but in a gentle and compassionate way not one based on superiority. So it was a delight to find out that he was able to leave something that may help others in their own spiritual quest.
The book can be read in an hour or two and at the end of book you are inspired by his sincere attempt to help you to see how most of our suffering is caused by our own misguided thinking. I always feel more liberated after reading his book. Other authors that are useful to me are Carlos Casteneda, Eckhart Tolle, and Girard Haven.